Mistaken Identity
by darkestboy
Summary: Harry gets mistaken for the Doctor when a group of marauding aliens come to Earth. Set between Revenge Of The Cybermen and Terror Of The Zygons.


**Name:** Mistaken Identity  
**Characters:** 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith, Harry Sullivan, The Brigadier, Sergeant Benton  
**Synopsis:** It seems that everything and everyone has a price. A race known as the Stealers arrive on Earth to pawn the Doctor off to the highest bidder. Except when they confuse the Time Lord with an actual doctor, it's up to Sarah Jane, the Brigadier and the Doctor to save Harry. Prequel to _Stealers_. Set between _Revenge Of The Cybermen_ and _Terror Of The Zygons_.

In space, there was an interesting saying that screaming could not be heard. Kisron found such a concept to be hilarious. Seemingly it was a turn of phrase founded by the inferior species known as human beings. No other form of life would be arrogant enough to assume such a thing.

After a week of escaping from a Rutan attack, Kisron and his comrades had managed to repair their ship. It had taken more energy than they wanted to spare but for the function of their missions and lifestyle, it was necessary for this to be done.

With the ship fixed, they were able to focus on the more important thing — their finds. Compressed neatly into boxes, Kisron found both Novarus and Cherin attempting to open one of the boxes to peer at an item. One in particular really bowled all three of them over in amazement.

"Did we get really take this?" Novarus asked, as he picked up the Dalek plunger, which he had also spent hours polishing in pride.

"Careful," Cherin snapped. "Won't be much use to us if it's damaged."

"It was blind luck that we were not damaged ourselves," Kisron added. "I never thought we'd actually be responsible for the death of a Dalek."

"Could've been the other way round, boss," Cherin hastily agreed. He had been vehemently opposed to seeking out the Dalek but when Novarus transported them to Skaro under false pretences, he had to help snare and help kill the Dalek or face extermination himself. He was still annoyed with Novarus for that. "That Dalek could've killed us."

"But he didn't," Novarus pointed out, placing the plunger back into the box and facing his comrades directly. "Even the Daleks are stoppable. We proved that, didn't we?"

Cherin scowled but kept his thoughts to himself. Novarus looked unfazed by Cherin's look of disapproval. It's not that they hated each other but Cherin's lack of adventure often bothered Novarus and Novarus knew to a lesser extent it frustrated Kisron. Not as much as playing mediator did however.

"I think what Novarus was trying to do when tricking us into going to Skaro," Kisron pointed out firmly, "was to show us the stagnancy of some of our recent finds. Point duly noted, Nov, but next time, you convey that through words and not suicide missions. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir," Novarus said. He didn't enjoy being corrected but he also respected Kisron far too much to challenge him. Not that he would succeed if he actually did as well.

"But will you listen?" Cherin asked. "You're too flighty for your own good and you nearly got us killed, plunger or no plunger."

"Which is something I'm beginning to tire of being reminded of," Novarus snapped, the closest to losing his temper he had come to in a long while. "If it was up to you, all we'd ever do is break into museums and steal bits of starlight. At least I have some ambition. Because of me we were able to take a valued piece of the most dangerous race in the universe. Instead of constantly patronising me as if I were a child, maybe you could show some initiative."

"That's enough," Kisron interjected between the two of them. "Your petty squabbling ceases here and now, is that understood?"

Both nodded solemnly while giving each other a grudging stare. That was the last bit of hostility they would exchange. Both of them knew that Kisron would not tolerate anything else from them.

"Now what do both of you know of the planet Earth?" Kisron asked, the question unsurprisingly generating two different responses.

"Idiot humans," muttered Cherin, his voice hoarse with disdain upon mentioning the "h" word.

"Minerals, gold, diamonds," Novarus said in a more casual manner. "But far more primitive compared to what we've usually sold on the market. Wouldn't be much of a demand, would there?"

"And what about physically active riches?" Kisron asked both of them, interested in what their minds would automatically think of.

"I thought we gave up trying to snare and sell anything breathing?" Cherin said, not impressed. "I've still got those scratches from that saber tooth tiger that killed the poor Golath we sold it to."

"Besides as much as I hate to sound like Cherin," Novarus smirked at his opposing comrade before looking at Kisron, "but weren't we banned from doing that by the Shadow Proclamation?"

"We were," Kisron returned the smirk. "But had we fully adhered to their ludicrous demands; we'd also not be selling anything else that we didn't pilfer. There's a reason why our race are called Stealers."

"What did you have in mind?" Novarus asked intrigued. He could see that Cherin didn't like where this was going to go.

"Well it involves a trip to the dull planet and it's an exotic piece in a way," Kisron smiled. "Cherin, set the co-ordinates, we're heading to Earth. There's a man of science I'm waiting to see in the flesh."

Neither Cherin nor Novarus had any idea what Kisron was on about but they knew that he would let them in on the secret when the time was right. As Cherin piloted the ship to Earth, Novarus went back to look at some of the items in other boxes and Kisron smiled to himself, hoping to pull the most daring scheme off.

_If Novarus could get the plunger of a Dalek, then how hard would it be to get him?_

As Harry Sullivan fell to the ground, the Travist Prolong skirted across another corner, narrowly avoiding the clutches of the Doctor's arms, who then also fell to the floor beside his rather exasperated companion.

"That's the last time I agree to open anything that's delivered to you," Harry gasped as he rose from the floor and dusted him off. With no windows and doors to escape from, the Travist Prolong was essentially cornered, even if it had managed to outwit both men of science so far.

"It's usually in hibernation around this time of year," the Doctor. "I guess maybe you frightened it."

"Frightened it?" Harry asked, almost insulted by the accusation. "I barely spoke when I saw the thing."

"It's not a thing, Harry," the Doctor said. "And it's not dangerous. But it would be better to send it back to Polongus sooner than later. So help me catch it."

"Very well, Doctor," Harry said, watching as the Doctor tried to coax it from the corner it curled up into. The creature jumped again, only this time the door opened and it leapt on the first person to enter.

"What the -," Sarah Jane was cut off mid sentence as the creature had pounced on her and began to lick it affectionately.

The Brigadier was about to pull out his gun before the Doctor motioned him not to. The Brigadier moved out of the way as the Doctor then used his scarf to lasso the creature and pull it off Sarah Jane.

"Are you alright, Miss Smith?" the Brigadier asked as he helped her to her feet. Sarah Jane dusted herself off.

"Quite fine," Sarah Jane smiled, then looking at the Doctor, Harry and the creature. "What is that?"

"Travist Prolong," Harry said quickly, leaving the Doctor open mouthed. The Doctor then focused his attention on the creature itself.

"I've got you, you're safe now," the Doctor smiled, picking up the creature and petting it. "I'm not going to hurt you. You and I are going to go on a little trip."

"Do we get to come?" Harry asked blithely.

"It'll only be five minutes by Earth standards," the Doctor said. "You won't even know I've gone."

"I think we will," Sarah Jane protested.

"I think someone has to clean up here," the Brigadier said. The Doctor took this as his cue to leave and headed into the TARDIS and took off with the creature before facing anymore protests from his companions.

"Wonderful," Harry said. "Creates havoc in a blink of an eye and I get to pick up the pieces."

"That's the Doctor for you," the Brigadier agreed, patting Harry's shoulder before taking his leave of the laboratory.

"I'll give you a hand," Sarah Jane said as she passed a sweeping brush to the young medic.

"At least I've got you," Harry smiled. "With the Doctor, we'll have another mess to deal with before you know it. Still at least things are never dull with him around."

Sarah Jane smiled as she picked up some of the broken glass on the floor and discarded it into the bin by the corner. If she didn't know Harry, she would've assumed that he was simply moaning about the Doctor. Granted the chaos that was a constant bedfellow with the Doctor had its problems from time to time. Otherwise things were great with him around.

Farmer Briggs hadn't seen much that shocked him but when a spaceship landed in his field, his gut reaction shouldn't been to run. He had made the mistake of trying to challenge the three creatures that came out the ship.

"This is my land," Briggs had protested feebly as one of them pulled a ray gun from their belts. "You can't, you can't, oh my God, what are you."

"The last thing you're going to see of course," Kisron smiled brightly, shooting the man and vaporizing him without a second thought.

Cherin wasn't pleased with seeing the farmer vaporized but Kisron had not paid heed to that wave of disapproval.

"So, where to now?" Novarus asked.

"UNIT headquarters, that way," Kisron smiled, pointing at a building that was within walking distance. They were so close to him. "I believe we have a Doctor to see."

While picking up a filing cabinet that had been knocked over by the Travist Prolong, Sarah Jane let out a small whimper of pain. Her left arm had been a lot sorer than she originally thought as she turned to Harry.

"Are you alright?" Harry said, as he came to her aid. "Let me see your arm."

"I thought I was," Sarah Jane said, as she lifted up her sleeve, slightly embarrassed though she was uncertain of why. Harry could see that she was bruised.

"That doesn't look alright," he said as the both of them went over to sit down. Harry gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm just going to check to see that nothing's broken."

"Heaven forbid," Sarah Jane smiled kindly, looking as Harry went to get a medical kit he had on standby. When he returned, she held her arm out for him.

Harry took her arm, examining it deftly but delicately. While he wasn't looking at Sarah Jane directly, he did do his best to make sure she was at ease as best he could. Although she whimpered a little when he touched certain areas, there was nothing broken to his knowledge and his knowledge was first rate.

"So?" Sarah Jane asked. "How am I?"

"Durable," Harry smiled. "No broken bones. Clearly you are not human."

"I don't think you would say that if the creature had wanted to injure me," Sarah Jane laughed, realising that the last sentence he said was a bit of gentle teasing.

"But other than that, I'm fine, yes?" she asked him, just to be sure.

"I wouldn't do anything too strenuous," Harry said, letting go of her arm. "But yes, apart from some soreness, you're in good shape."

"I think travelling with the Doctor does that," Sarah Jane said as she pulled her sleeve down. "The amount of running we've done from the Daleks and Cybermen in the last few days would tire an Olympian."

"And Davros," Harry said. "If there was one thing, I'd be happy to never see again, he'd be it. Speaking of running, the Doctor's cutting it a bit fine, isn't he?"

"He did say it'd only feel like five minutes to us," Sarah Jane looked at her watch absently. "Maybe he meant the Time Lord equivalent."

"Is there such a thing?"

"No," Sarah Jane laughed. "He'll be here."

Harry smiled and packed his medical kit away. Knowing the Doctor, he'll make a bit of fanfare as he returned before whisking them off to some humid planet or dingy space station. The excitement of time travel, Harry thought to himself.

Walking inside the UNIT building, Cherin's panicking was something that even Kisron was finding difficult to tolerate. In the space of three minutes, Kisron had vaporized at least four soldiers and the two that were walking towards a laboratory were seemingly going to victim numbers five and six for their trouble.

"Maybe we should grab this man of science when there's no-one around," Cherin said nervously. Kisron and Novarus looked at him with disdain and disappointment.

"You are to obey me, Cherin," Kisron growled. "Now, come on. Time is not on our side."

"But," Cherin stammered for all the good it did him, which was as he predicted none whatsoever.

"Your cowardice is beginning to annoy me," Novarus muttered. "We've come this far, there's no reason why we can't finish the task at hand."

"I just think that there are better ways of getting what we want," Cherin tried to protest. "We've killed more than the one we're supposed to snare and I -,"

Before Cherin could finish the sentence, he was interrupted. The two soldiers had their guns pointed at the three Stealers. One of them was about to radio in for backup.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kisron smirked at the two foolish men. Humans were simply too believing of their own power.

"And why is that?" a tall sandy haired soldier asked, clearly irked by the appearance of the Stealers but affronted by their unapologetic confidence as well.

"I think this is sufficient reason," Novarus smiled as he vaporized the two soldiers. Their screams were brief but undeniable.

"What was that?" Sarah Jane asked. Both her and Harry had gotten up from their seats as the doors to the laboratory flew open.

"Stay back," Harry said, scanning the room, looking for a weapon of some kind. The only thing nearest to him was a chair.

The Stealers stepped inside the room, gazing upon the man and woman and their surprised reactions to seeing them. Kisron sniffed the air of the room and it was enough to confirm his expectations. He smiled.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, realising that both him and Sarah Jane were surrounded. No way out for either of them.

"Not important," Kisron smiled. "You on the other hand are of most importance."

"What do you mean?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Not you," Novarus snapped at her. He didn't like her one bit. "Presumptuous human female. It is your Doctor that we want."

"Are you injured?" Harry asked, wondering if maybe this lot needed some medical assistance. It was a fleeting hope, one that was diminished by the laughs all three partook in once he came out with the foolish question.

"You have such humour, Time Lord," Kisron gleamed, as he stepped further with a rag in his hand and a piece of rope. "But I don't think you'll be laughing when one of your long time foes pays for you."

"You think I'm the Doctor?" Harry realised, as he then tried to protest. "I can assure you that I'm not the Doct-,"

Harry was gagged before being able to finish the sentence and Kisron deftly bound his hands in front of him with ease. Sarah Jane then stepped in to try and prize Harry away from the Stealer.

"Leave him alone," Sarah Jane shrieked, trying her best to hold unto Harry, even swatting at Kisron, which enraged him.

"Away, human," Kisron snarled, smacking Sarah Jane into a wall where she fell to the ground in heap, instantly rendered unconscious.

Harry muffled a protest as he was dragged out of the laboratory. As a soldier stepped into the hallway, Cherin shot at him. He didn't like the situation but right now due to the huge risk they had taken, he had to aid with the escape.

"Harry!" shouted a familiar voice. It was Benton. He had seen the Stealers heading outside, dragging the medical officer into one of the UNIT trucks as two more of his men were being vaporized.

"Be gone," Novarus said, shooting at Benton. Benton managed to dodge the death ray but only out of sheer luck.

Spotting two of his men, Benton demanded a rescue team set up and for the Brigadier and the Doctor to be alerted of Harry's abduction. Getting into his own army truck with two other men, Benton headed down the roads to pursue the creatures currently holding Harry. The creatures had too good a head start.

By the time Benton and his men had actually caught up with them, Harry had been dragged into the spaceship with them and despite it's size, the vessel managed to get into the air without any bullets being so much as able to dent it. Benton looked frustrated.

"What shall we do?" one of the soldiers asked Benton.

"Head back to base," Benton said. He didn't like defeat but the only person who stood a chance of getting Harry back was the Doctor.

The whirring of the returning TARDIS had been enough to rouse Sarah Jane out of her sleep. Her head was throbbing in pain and the Brigadier had her sitting down again. As soon as the Doctor saw her, he rushed to her.

"Sarah Jane," the Doctor said, stroking her hair. "What happened?"

"Aliens," Sarah Jane said. "They took Harry. I couldn't stop them."

"As I was saying, it wasn't your fault, Miss Smith," the Brigadier said, offering her some tea. She took the tea but didn't drink it.

"Why Harry?" the Doctor wondered. Even though the question had a trace of insensitivity to it, the Brigadier did wonder the very thing himself.

"They thought he was you," Sarah Jane said, taking a sip from her tea. "They stormed off with him before he could convince them otherwise."

"Why would they think Mr. Sullivan was you?" the Brigadier asked the confused Time Lord.

"I don't know, Brigadier," the Doctor replied, scanning the area of the room, trying to get a trace of the race that had taken Harry. His scanner confirmed that they were Stealers. "But I think I know where they're going. Come on, Sarah."

As the Doctor and Sarah Jane headed into the TARDIS, the door stood open long enough for the Brigadier to step into it and then it closed. Although he had been in the TARDIS before, the Brigadier's entry surprised the Doctor. A pause between the three of them hung in the air long enough for the Brigadier to break it.

"In case you need backup," the Brigadier said. "You still haven't said who they are, Doctor."

"He's right," Sarah Jane pointed out.

"They're called Stealers and I appreciate the assistance, Brigadier," the Doctor said, pulling the lever as the TARDIS dematerialized from the UNIT based.

Lying on the floor of a dirty spaceship, Harry's gag had been removed and he could only look on as his three captors yanked him off the floor and threw him onto a chair. This was usually the part he liked least. Interrogation.

"I'm in space," Harry realised out loud. His vision was still fuzzy from being unconscious as he turned to stare at the three creatures holding him captive.

"You're not very bright if you're the Doctor," Cherin muttered, then turned to Kisron. "Are you sure we have the right man?"

"As I was trying to tell you," Harry tried to cut in but Kisron ignored him.

"Time Lords change their bodies," Kisron said. "They can do it a few times. Last time I saw the Doctor, he was a cantankerous old man with his granddaughter. Do you remember that, Time Lord?"

"No," Harry said, trying to put himself in a more comfortable position on the ragged chair he had been thrown onto.

"Why not?" Kisron wondered, affronted by the idea of not being remembered.

"Because I'm not the Doctor," Harry said.

"Of course you're going to say that," Novarus dismissed the medical officer's claims. "You know what happens next, so lying is really quite useless."

"I don't think he's lying," Cherin said, studying Harry a lot harder than his comrades. "Ever since we've dragged him out of UNIT, I've gotten nothing from him. He's … human. We just snatched a human."

"You should listen to him," Harry said but found himself ignored once again by his captors.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kisron snapped. "He's just changed his appearance, went for a younger look, it's what Time Lords do to cheat death. I told you that."

"Yeah, well Time Lords might," Cherin turned on his leader with a sudden wave of confidence. "But this guy is not a Time Lord. And I can prove it."

"This should be interesting," Novarus said dryly. "Prove that he's human."

Cherin let the insult pass. Instead he picked up a scanner from the display cabinet and went over towards Harry. Harry flinched for a second as the device scanned him quickly and effortlessly. Cherin smiled at the undeniable results. Both Novarus and Kisron were not amused.

"No way," Novarus said with disappointment etched in his voice. "But …"

"He's human," Cherin said as he went to free Harry. "We have to let him go. I'm sorry about this, Mr. -"

"- Harry. Harry Sullivan," Harry replied with some trepidation. He could tell while Cherin felt an obligation to release him, the other two didn't share it.

"Wait a minute," Kisron said, stopping Cherin from undoing Harry's restraints. "He might not be the Doctor, but he certainly knows the Time Lord, do you not?"

Harry stared at him, revealing nothing. This angered Kisron but not enough to strike out at the man.

"I'll take that silence as a yes, then," Kisron said. "We will release you Mr. Sullivan but not until we have the Doctor in our clutches. For that, your stay with us is going to be a bit longer. Novarus put Harry here in our dungeon. Cherin set the co-ordinates to Salentech Fifteen."

"We can't go through with this," Cherin tried to protest. "I've heard stories of the Doctor. Bigger races than us have tried to outwit him and it's never worked. If the Daleks can't destroy him, what chance do we stand?"

"You forget, Cherin we're not trying to destroy the Doctor," Kisron smiled a crooked smile. "Where would be the point in that? He'll come to save his friend, we'll snare him and whoever purchases the Time Lord. Well, it'll be their problem. Is that understood?"

Cherin sighed and watched as Novarus dragged Harry into the nearby cell. Harry tried getting free but Novarus was too fast for him. Harry, hands still bound behind his back watched the three of them. He didn't like the idea of them using him to trap the Doctor and Sarah Jane. If he could get Cherin alone, he knew there was a possibility of getting the alien onside but with the other two close by that was going to be difficult.

Inside the TARDIS, both the Brigadier and Sarah Jane found themselves wondering the same thing. It was Sarah Jane however who vocalized the thought.

"Stealers?" Sarah Jane said, not particularly impressed with the name. "Did they run out of unpronounceable names or something?"

"Something like that," the Doctor said, amused by the young woman's point. "They're mostly harmless."

"They abducted Mr. Sullivan and nearly could've killed Miss Smith," the Brigadier said. "That doesn't strike me as harmless, Doctor."

"You don't seem particularly worried," Sarah Jane said, more annoyed. "Doctor, they weren't exactly friendly creatures."

"They don't usually abduct humans," the Doctor said. "No interest to them."

"They thought Harry was you," Sarah Jane reminded him.

"I know," the Doctor smiled. "By now they will have realised their mistake."

"You could sound a little more worried, Doctor," the Brigadier scolded him impatiently.

"He's right, Doctor," Sarah Jane chimed in. "It's alright you saying they're harmless but they might not feel that way when they realize that Harry is just human."

"Stealers will not kill humans for the most part because it goes against their rules," the Doctor turned on them suddenly. "I hate to use a clichéd adage but there is a certain honor amongst thieves so to speak."

"And Harry?" Sarah Jane asked.

"More than likely they'll use him as bait of some kind, lure us there and grab me," the Doctor said, as he motioned both Sarah Jane and the Brigadier to look at the monitor, which they did with interest. "By now they're already leading us to Salentech Fifteen."

"Where in the blazes is that?" the Brigadier asked.

"It's a small planet, shrouded by clusters, so it's almost unnoticeable," the Doctor responded. "Stealers hold auctions there because for the most part, it's out of bounds from either attacks or intergalactic police. It also means that when we land there -,"

"— We'll be trapped," Sarah Jane realised. "Surely, there's got to be a way around it."

"How many invaded UNIT, Sarah?" the Doctor asked her on the spot. An idea was forming in his head.

"Three," Sarah Jane answered.

"I think I have an idea," the Doctor said. Before either the Brigadier or Sarah Jane could ask what he intended to do, he just pulled the levers frantically, asking both of them to grab onto the first thing as quickly as possible.

In the warehouse where the auctions had taken place, both Novarus and Cherin waited in anticipation. Kisron had taken Harry off their hands and had instructed them to stay guard in regards to a certain guest appearance.

"He's coming," Novarus smiled. "This is too good."

"Really?" Cherin asked, placing the last of the clamps in a perfect square. "I don't know if this will work. These clamps are old, even by our standards."

The TARDIS landed exactly on the square that Cherin had made with the clamps. Both Novarus and Cherin waited patiently as the Doctor stepped out, hands in mock surrender. His smile dissipated when Novarus pointed a gun at him.

"Don't even think about it," Novarus said warningly. "There's no escape."

"I can see that," the Doctor noted the clamps binding his TARDIS to the warehouse he had landed on. He was trapped. So were Harry, Sarah Jane and the Brigadier.

"Are you him?" Cherin asked.

"Not so much as a hello?" the Doctor said. "I believe you have a friend of mine."

"Are you the Doctor?" Novarus asked rather impatiently as Cherin pulled out his scanner. "We don't want another useless human."

"I'm the real thing," the Doctor smiled as he allowed for Cherin to scan. Upon doing that, Cherin then cuffed his hands in front of him as Novarus dragged the Doctor away.

"Guard that thing," Novarus warned Cherin as he gazed at the TARDIS. "I'm pretty sure that's something we can keep for ourselves. As for you, Doctor, I think you're going to be very in demand for our buyers indeed."

The Doctor said nothing as Novarus dragged him away. If he could distract the Stealers and the vicious crowd that awaited him, he could only hope that Sarah Jane and the Brigadier would be able to find Harry in time.

In his dungeon, Harry struggled more and more with his bonds, rubbing them furiously against the wall in a bid to free himself. He could hear a familiar voice, a babbling one as well as the disgruntled tones of Novarus. Curiosity getting the better of him, he looked out the small visor of his cell door and saw the Doctor being dragged away.

"Doctor?" Harry called out, which made the Doctor turn around briefly. Both men gave the other a look of relief to see each other.

"Everything's going to be fine," the Doctor was able to say before being pushed into another direction by Novarus, who was losing his patience with the Time Lord.

"No, it's not Time Lord," Novarus sneered as he threw the Doctor towards another Stealer. The Doctor looked at him, the Stealer that was now holding him. This one had a touch of seniority about him.

"Have we met?" the Doctor asked Kisron, who looked at the Time Lord with annoyance.

"Funny you should mention that," Kisron snorted, unimpressed by the Doctor's ignorance of him. "It's been a while. You've changed."

"I take it you haven't," the Doctor smiled. He knew it would unnerve the Stealer, which it did. "I take it you're the organ grinder. Don't much like the monkey."

"Very astute," Novarus muttered dryly in the background, before addressing Kisron. "We have his TARIS also."

"Brilliant," Kisron said. "Our own vessel to collect more priceless artifacts to sell."

"I'm not an artifact," the Doctor pointed out, annoyed himself by the two aliens holding him captive. "You have no power over me. Or my friend."

"I don't think the guests here are all too bothered by details such as that," Kisron retorted. "It seems you annoy most alien life-forms, Doctor."

"I do have that effect," the Doctor retorted dryly. "Can't imagine why. I usually do give them a fair chance. Like I'm going to give you."

"I don't need a chance, Doctor but let's hope the alien that purchases you shows similar a courtesy," Kisron said as he shoved the Doctor through some curtains. Kisron then turned to Novarus.

"Check the inside of that TARDIS for stowaways and if there is anyone inside, detain them. Better yet, bring back here along with Mr. Sullivan. Maybe we can sell them along with the Doctor."

"Yes sir," Novarus said as he took his leave. The Doctor watched as Kisron made his way out through the curtains as well.

On stage, Kisron and the Doctor stood, in the midst of ancient relics, both from Earth and other planets, weaponry, technology, even alien musical instruments. The Doctor hazarded that some of the artifacts in question even belonged to a large chunk of the aliens who had come in secret to purchase their items. He even looked at a case, with a familiar crest — a Time Lord seal. Official government secrets. The Stealers had been busy. The Doctor also noticed the crowd gazing at him in anticipation.

"Well, Doctor," Kisron smiled as he whispered into the Time Lord's ear. "What do you say to your admirers?"

"Hello," the Doctor smiled at the audience.

After sending a crucial signal without anyone looking over his shoulders, Cherin had been thumbing through a catalogue while guarding the TARDIS. As jobs went, it was thankfully an uncomplicated one but still, he got the feeling that Novarus and Kisron had deliberately side-lined him, which he didn't like. Suddenly he heard the door move and aimed his gun.

"You again," Cherin said, gun pointed at Sarah Jane. "I should've known you wouldn't stay away. You're too late. Chances are the Doctor's been sold by now."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Sarah Jane raised her hands in mock surrender. She needed to distract him for a bit longer. "Where's Harry?"

"In a cell, where you're now going, Miss," Cherin said as he came closer to Sarah Jane, ready to grab her by the arm. Before he could get a hold of her, the Brigadier appeared out of nowhere and clobbered him across the head, knocking him out instantly.

"That's a relief," Sarah Jane said. "Good aim."

"Let's find Mr. Sullivan," the Brigadier replied, grabbing the keys and running down a corridor with Sarah Jane as Novarus came back to find an unconscious Cherin.

"Idiot!" grunted Novarus as he kicked and grabbed Cherin off the ground. Cherin gave him an icy stare.

"They went that way," Cherin muttered as the both of them ran down the corridors to stop them.

"Sarah Jane?" Harry called out. "Brigadier?"

"Are you alright old chap?" the Brigadier said, opening the cell door. As Harry came out, Sarah Jane undid his restraints. They hugged while him and the Brigadier shook hands.

"Do you know where the Doctor is?" Sarah Jane asked. She heard footsteps fast approaching as well.

"This way," Harry said as the three of them ran in another direction.

"Stop them, you fool," Novarus pointed out, pushing Cherin a little further ahead. Cherin pointed his blaster, shot from it but narrowly missed hitting the Brigadier.

"I'll give 3000 credits for him," shouted a yellow tinged alien with a white tongue glistening out. The Doctor could see that this creature thought of him as no more than a meal.

"That's an insult," the Doctor said, mocked offended before turning to Kisron. "I thought you said these aliens were filthy rich. Stupidly rich in fact."

"Shut up, you fool," Kisron hissed at the Time Lord before turning to the crowd. "3000 is a good offer but do I hear 3500? Anyone?"

A purple skinned alien raised her hand. She gave the Doctor a lascivious look. She was from a race of temptresses who yielded adoration from those who came into contact with her. Even though Kisron had sprayed himself with a repellent to keep his desire under control, the Doctor could see that he had some fondness for the creature.

"I think she likes me," the Doctor smiled. Kisron gave him a withering look before addressing the audience again.

"3500, any further offers?" Kisron asked in desperation. He didn't know what it was but something was amiss. Both Novarus and Cherin weren't here. "Really now's the time."

"4000 credits," boomed an all too familiar voice. "For your arrest."

Before either the Doctor, Kisron or the audience could react to the voice, Sarah Jane, Harry and the Brigadier along with Novarus and Cherin all stormed onto the stage.

"Doctor," Sarah Jane said, running over to free him along with Harry. Kisron stood back.

"We're sorry," Novarus said before glancing at the three humans on the stage. "They escaped."

"Least of our worries," Kisron said, flush with embarrassment and a sense of dread in his voice.

"Why's that?" Novarus said, before turning to look at the three storm troopers that were now in the warehouse. "Who let them in?"

"I wouldn't if I were you," the Doctor said warningly, looking at the Judoon.

"You're not me," Novarus curtly reminded him as he picked up his gun and aimed for the first Judoon to advance for the stage. Before he could pull the trigger, the Judoon had shot him in the chest. Novarus convulsed for a few seconds before hitting the floor with a shattering thud.

The reaction of the shot had been enough for every other alien in the building to scatter with immediacy, the Judoon not stopping them. The head Judoon gave both Kisron and Cherin a threatening glare.

"This wasn't what it looked like," Kisron said. "We were just -,"

"Under law of Shadow Proclamation, is it forbidden to auction other life-forms on Salentech Fifteen," the Captain said. "The sentence is death."

"You can't be serious," Kisron protested. "A Time Lord and three humans, they're not important. Please, I'm begging you, don't -,"

Kisron was killed on the spot before he could even finish the sentence. The Doctor and his companions looked at Kisron and Novarus's bodies with shock. The Doctor himself was angry.

"There was no need for that," the Doctor said huffily, a rage almost burning inside him. "What they did was wrong but their deaths were unjust."

"They violated the law," the Captain spoke in his defense. "Massive punishment was carried out. I do not answer to you, Time Lord."

"And what about me?" Cherin asked, stepping off the stage and confronting the Judoon head on. "Do I die?"

"You will come with us to stand trial," another Judoon spoke up. "Your assistance in stopping this auction might spare you."

"You betrayed your own team?" Harry asked Cherin. Cherin looked at him, almost confused by the man's question.

"We were going too far," Cherin said. "I had to stop them. If I didn't, you humans would've died and you Doctor would be suffering the torments of some former emperor he had wronged or something."

Cherin stepped out in front of the Judoon, allowing them drag him away. The Captain then took the Doctor aside and told him to leave as quickly as possible. The Doctor wanted to protest but decided against the idea. However before taking his leave, he managed to conceal the case with the Time Lord seal in his coat.

In the TARDIS, all four of them stared in silence for the most part. As relieved as they were that none of them were hurt, all of them did flash back to Novarus and Kisron's deaths at the hands of the Judoon captain.

"So, what do we do now, Doctor?" Harry asked in relation to Cherin. "He did technically save us all."

"We can't do anything," the Doctor said ruefully. "Galactic law. Even I have to adhere to some rules."

"There's a first," the Brigadier replied, halfheartedly. It was joke, a rarity with him but appreciated as the Doctor smiled at him.

"So, how much do you think the Stealers would've gotten for you?" Sarah Jane asked, in a bid to lighten the mood.

"I don't think you can put a price on me, Sarah," the Doctor scolded her, mockingly. "And after today, no other member of that race will try to again. Also, speaking of rules, I have to make a little pit stop."

"Where to?" Sarah Jane asked as she noticed the Doctor now with a familiar case in his hand.

"Somewhere I call home," the Doctor said, setting the co-ordinates. "At times."

- The End -


End file.
